Shame on you Australia Post - 30% Increase is completely unjustified!

[extremeshoppingonline]

Hi everyone

Not sure if you are aware or not, but Australia Post has just increased their postage charges by 30% and this will flow on to buyers & sellers alike. Whether you buy with ‘free postage’ or buy with postage as an additional expense, we can all expect to pay more.

What has really got up my nose is how Aust Post can justify the previous charge of $1 for ‘signature on delivery’ with an increase today of $2.95 for the same service! This charge is now being applied to the ClickandSend ebay/austpost satchels that many ebay sellers in Australia use.

We are already fighting a losing battle to remain competitive in the global market because of our extortionate postage costs within Australia and to post internationally.

Sadly to say, I feel we are going to see ‘free postage’ go by the wayside now. Because 90% of buyers are using Paypal, sellers need to show ‘proof of delivery’ in the event of a buyer opening a dispute in Paypal, claiming an item has not been received. So many parcels go missing, whether through theft, damage, fraud or abandonment and if the extra $2.95 for a signature on delivery is not taken up, then the seller will automatically have the case closed in the buyer’s favour. It is that simple. Registered Post is no longer. If you want Registered Post, it will cost $2.95 for the signature on Delivery plus $1.50 to cover than article up to the value of $100!

Anyway, if you want to read more, here are a couple of links. There is an online petition which has over 1000 signatures that you may like to add your name to. This petition now has media interest with a phone interview from Karen with ABC Radio the Sydney Morning Herald’s article and callers ringing into 2GB Radio in Sydney.

In closing, if I can say one thing… there is nothing that riles an aussie more than seeing fellow aussies kicked when they are already down 😞

Cheers

Evil Elle aka Ellen

https://www.change.org/petitions/australia-post-reconsider-the-parcel-price-increases

http://www.smh.com.au/business/postage-costs-soar-by-30-as-online-retail-booms-20130407-2hewv.html

[thesoulyearns]

"Because 90% of buyers are using Paypal, sellers need to show ‘proof of delivery’ in the event of a buyer opening a dispute in Paypal, claiming an item has not been received. So many parcels go missing, whether through theft, damage, fraud or abandonment and if the extra $2.95 for a signature on delivery is not taken up, then the seller will automatically have the case closed in the buyer’s favour."

Hi Elle, so a tracking number saying an item was delivered using the AP tracking tool and an over the counter lodgment receipt which indicates the postcode destination will no longer be enough for paypal?

aj, judging by a recent thread, you just need an "online status" (e.g. tracking) to be eligable for cover. Could be wrong. If in doubt, just go for Signature on Delivery.

[lyndal1838]

It is all well and good for sellers to want to use couriers but in many cases it is not good for the buyer.

Many couriers will not deliver in country or rural areas and the buyer is expected to travel many miles to a depot to pick up.  Even in the suburbs of major cities the buyer can be expected to pick up from the depot if they were not home when delivery was attempted.

Most courier companies will only attempt delivery twice before the parcels are left at the depot and if not collected within a very short timeframe they will be returned to the seller.

You also need to be a very big shipper to have accounts with most courier companies, which is why Temando is very useful...they do have accounts with all the major companies and can arrange the shipping for you.

[***super_nova***]

Australia is not the only country putting postage prices up; in the USA the cost went up drastically last year and I just saw this on UK forum:

"Our shipping rates increased from lst April, and to send an item
the week before would have been £2.20 to send it after April it
has shot up to £5.20."

That is about 230% increase!!!!!!

[craig23040]

The extreme fear of paypal scams is kind of strange isn't it? All businesses lose to ripoffs whether it's clients who don't pay or staff/customers who steal. Obviously that is a sad and wrong situation, but such is life. If you had a shop you could stop shoplifters by having strip searches at the door but it would be suicide. Isn't $3 sign on delivery the same for small item sellers?

[thecatspjs]

It is all well and good for sellers to want to use couriers but in many cases it is not good for the buyer.

Many couriers will not deliver in country or rural areas and the buyer is expected to travel many miles to a depot to pick up.  Even in the suburbs of major cities the buyer can be expected to pick up from the depot if they were not home when delivery was attempted.

Most courier companies will only attempt delivery twice before the parcels are left at the depot and if not collected within a very short timeframe they will be returned to the seller.

You also need to be a very big shipper to have accounts with most courier companies, which is why Temando is very useful...they do have accounts with all the major companies and can arrange the shipping for you.

We might also start to see that some sellers may start offering different post options at different prices 

As a buyer, I have never really been fond of couriers, but give me the choice now and if a courier service is significantly cheaper then I would give it some consideration.

Whilst buyers may still chose AP for familiarity and convenience of post office pick up if not at home, at least some buyers may become more aware of the AP actual price cost  

[kustomizer99]

One problem with couriers is that they don't deliver to PO boxes -- and if the buyer isn't home to take delivery of the package (because he/she has a day job, for example), they might have to drive 50 miles to the depot on the outskirts of town to pick up their item during business hours.... this has happened to me a couple of times!

[davewil1964]

Totally agree, kustom. One of the reasons I won't consider couriers is exactly that. Plus the fact that I can't be home for pickup in the first place.

Like it or not, AP have the convenience factor nailed.

[*new2vintage]

What has the cost risen 30% for ? The rate for up to 500 grams was $6.65 and is now $6.95.

[davewil1964]

C&S for $100 cover has gone from $7.20 to $11.60, but that's a 60% increase.

[aspie*mum]

It costs me less to get a pair of children's shoes posted from the UK eBay than it does Australian eBay.  And then the actual shoes are cheaper.

I rarely buy online from Australia anymore as the items are often not that good value and there is a much bigger range in the UK and it seems the postage is about the same from UK to Australia as it is within Australia.